Imagine waking up without any security gates on your doors or bars on your windows. Imagine being able to pick up the bikes that you left on your patio the night before, leave the doors unlocked and cycle through a well-kept, unspoiled park with your children to the local coffee shop for breakfast. Most South Africans would say this is merely the stuff of dreams. For those living in Midstream Estate, this is the reality.
Located between Centurion and Pretoria on Brakfontein Road, Midstream Estate comprises a collection of mixed-use nodes, specifically Midstream, Midfield, Midlands, Midstream Ridge, Midstream Hill and Retire@Midstream. According to Johan van Zyl of Midteam Real Estate, which has a number of Midstream properties listed on www.privateproperty.co.za, the estate has been developed primarily with family in mind.
Notes Van Zyl: “Midstream is the quintessential family estate. It has numerous schools, recreational facilities, shops, restaurants, plenty of open space and importantly, top notch security all of which makes for a highly appealing way of life.”
Features and facilities
Educational facilities at the estate include Midstream College High School, Midstream College Primary School, Midstream Ridge Primary School, Midstream Pre-Primary, Midlands Pre-Primary, Midstream Ridge Pre-Primary, Midstream Baby House and Midlands Baby House. In other words, residents are spoilt for choice and can send their children to school safe in the knowledge that they will receive an excellent education, says Van Zyl.
Families also have their pick of retail amenities, the majority of which are located at Square@Midstream, the estate’s own shopping centre. A petrol station, Chatz Connect, Barber SA, Video Den, a framing shop, travel merchants, a uniform shop, Steers, a biltong shop and a SuperSpar are but a few of the retail facilities that Midstream residents can browse.
For most families, quality medical care is a key concern. With this in mind, Midstream offers a number of medical facilities including a day clinic, a round-the-clock paramedic service and ancillary services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and a “homework hub” that aims to assist students to reach their full potential. A full-scale Mediclinic will also be operational by the end of 2014.
Other facilities include a spa, office parks, tennis and squash courts, a gym, a chess club, pools, walkways, hiking trails, a mini golf course, four churches and fishing dams, all of which are interspersed among homes that can largely be described as “palatial” says Van Zyl.
The homes
Homes at Midstream range in style and are priced from R1.5-million to R20-million. To date, Van Zyl says that approximately 4 000 homes have been constructed over an area spanning 1 200 hectares. Although there is a smattering of sectional title properties and a fair number of retirement homes, large, freehold properties dominate, a number of which are leased for as much as R16 000 monthly, generally by foreign corporate executives. In total, approximately 10 000 people now call Midstream home.
Van Zyl says that for many, the safety, convenience and close proximity of other major Johannesburg hubs is priceless. He adds that given the family-friendly nature of the estate, its community has become close-knit - as evidenced by the following comment made by one of the residents:
“We bought a plot in Midstream and, after a while, built a house that became our family’s home. The children attended Midstream College, went to university, graduated and then flew away to explore the world. When the home became too big, we sold it and are now building a smaller, home in Midstream Hill. We will keep enjoying the safe environment we have become used to over the years.”
Whether this family’s lifestyle includes bicycles or not is a moot point!